Photos app, like many other Apple software, really degrading into crap

[gavroche]

I was pretty upset when I got a new computer and had Catalina, and had my photos all imported into the new Photos app.... and learned that albums located within folders would not sync to iPad/iPhone. I thought I was doing something wrong, until after google searching discovered its a known issue. And now after so long, I'm shocked that Apple apparently doesn't even care to try to fix it. Then add to that that they appear to have removed the menu option to pick a key photo (to appear on an album on the iPad). And the options to sort photos appears to be completely flawed. Try sorting by title. I pick it, and other options, and doesn't even change the sort order at all. Why does Apple's software have to devolve so much over time. Its so aggravating. I remember what Numbers used to be like, how many more feature it used to have. Now its a shell of what it was. I remember all the discussion as it was happening, that they were trying to have parity between the Mac and the iOS apps... and that slowly over time the features lost would be re-added gradually. Well, it isn't/hasn't happened.
The hallmark of Apple was always the software experience. Now they obsess so much over every tiny detail of the iPhone, but let their software rot to crap. So sad.

 

[Super Spartan]

I was pretty upset when I got a new computer and had Catalina, and had my photos all imported into the new Photos app.... and learned that albums located within folders would not sync to iPad/iPhone. I thought I was doing something wrong, until after google searching discovered its a known issue. And now after so long, I'm shocked that Apple apparently doesn't even care to try to fix it. Then add to that that they appear to have removed the menu option to pick a key photo (to appear on an album on the iPad). And the options to sort photos appears to be completely flawed. Try sorting by title. I pick it, and other options, and doesn't even change the sort order at all. Why does Apple's software have to devolve so much over time. Its so aggravating. I remember what Numbers used to be like, how many more feature it used to have. Now its a shell of what it was. I remember all the discussion as it was happening, that they were trying to have parity between the Mac and the iOS apps... and that slowly over time the features lost would be re-added gradually. Well, it isn't/hasn't happened.
The hallmark of Apple was always the software experience. Now they obsess so much over every tiny detail of the iPhone, but let their software rot to crap. So sad.

Works for me 100%. All albums that I create on my MacBook Pro reflect on my iPhone. See: The best way to organize/sync your iOS/Mac Devices

 

[gavroche]

Works for me 100%. All albums that I create on my MacBook Pro reflect on my iPhone. See: The best way to organize/sync your iOS/Mac Devices

Do you have albums located in folders? For example, create a folder named "family trips"... and then have some smart albums located in that folder. The albums in that folder won't sync. If they do, and they sync, I'm assuming you have yours set to sync in cloud...? On Apple's community discussion pages, two solutions found were to have to remove those albums from their folders, or to sync photos via cloud. Which many people don't like to do.

and how about sort for you. Switching between sort by name, and sort by date change nothing for me, in any album. And as I mentioned, they removed the "make key photo" option as well. when they first removed it, I found the workaround to get the photo that you want as album photo was to rename the picture you want so that it shows up first in the list. But it won't sort properly.

edit: the link you provide is using sync via cloud. This solution does not help people that don't use cloud syncing for photos. The syncing problem involving albums located in folders occurs via sync via computer connection, or wi-fi syncing. Apple doesn't seem to care to fix this issue. I can only assume they wish to force you to use the cloud. Which many people don't want to do.

 

[retta283]

I definitely agree with this point. Apple's software has really degraded a lot in the last 10 years, many apps are missing crucial functions they used to have. (iMovie, Photos, Garageband, Final Cut, Disk Utility, iWork apps, and more) Not to mention the apps they've completely abandoned, like Aperture. Another, the laughable state of Mac OS X Server.

It's really too bad because IMO Mac apps were the reason to use a Mac back in the day, and now that advantage is mostly gone. I hope they are shifting back in this direction though, if not I have purchased my last new Macs.

 

[Super Spartan]

Do you have albums located in folders? For example, create a folder named "family trips"... and then have some smart albums located in that folder. The albums in that folder won't sync. If they do, and they sync, I'm assuming you have yours set to sync in cloud...? On Apple's community discussion pages, two solutions found were to have to remove those albums from their folders, or to sync photos via cloud. Which many people don't like to do.

and how about sort for you. Switching between sort by name, and sort by date change nothing for me, in any album. And as I mentioned, they removed the "make key photo" option as well. when they first removed it, I found the workaround to get the photo that you want as album photo was to rename the picture you want so that it shows up first in the list. But it won't sort properly.

edit: the link you provide is using sync via cloud. This solution does not help people that don't use cloud syncing for photos. The syncing problem involving albums located in folders occurs via sync via computer connection, or wi-fi syncing. Apple doesn't seem to care to fix this issue. I can only assume they wish to force you to use the cloud. Which many people don't want to do.

oh yes I use sync via iCloud I forgot to mention that. I don't use Smart Albums at all.

After creating a folder which is the main category, I then add albums with either a description or dates (for an event) then manually drag all the pics for that album and put them in it. It took a while to get this done at first but now adding new pics only takes a second after putting it in the correct album.

Here is an example of how I have them:

 

[gavroche]

oh yes I use sync via iCloud I forgot to mention that. I don't use Smart Albums at all.

After creating a folder which is the main category, I then add albums with either a description or dates (for an event) then manually drag all the pics for that album and put them in it. It took a while to get this done at first but now adding new pics only takes a second after putting it in the correct album.

Here is an example of how I have them:

View attachment 887027

Smart albums are nice because they can contain only certain types of photos automatically... without having to do anything. For example, I have smart albums for each of my cameras, and also for each of my lenses. So I can click on the album that has all photos taken with my T-30. You could do this manually, but having to do all that every time you import photos could get old real quick. But all this is pointless if it won't properly sync to your iDevices.

I've been thinking about it since my late night ramble... and I'm a bit bummed. I've been a member here since close to the website starting. And been using macs since the beginning. And over the years, I have watched regular members come and go. The demographic changes. The jokes change (try joking about waiting still for your G5 powerbook, and see how many people get the joke). And Mac software has come and gone. A lot of the people here now likely have not used a lot of the software they used to have, or just in very different forms than what they used to have. And sadly, the trend overall has been to get a lot worse in my opinion. Numbers and Pages used to have so many more features. They really got watered down to have parity with iOS versions. But the people using all that software, who participate and discuss it, slowly change over time... and the new people don't know what they lost, and were supposed to be getting back. Like Retta283, im starting to see a day when I'm going to move on from Apple. If we have to turn to third-party software to get features we want, why pay the Apple tax? Why does Apple have to obsess so much over very very minute details of the iPhone... but ignore the Mac lines, and their own software.

edit: Wish my abs looked like yours, Super Spartan!

 

[Super Spartan]

Smart albums are nice because they can contain only certain types of photos automatically... without having to do anything. For example, I have smart albums for each of my cameras, and also for each of my lenses. So I can click on the album that has all photos taken with my T-30. You could do this manually, but having to do all that every time you import photos could get old real quick. But all this is pointless if it won't properly sync to your iDevices.

I've been thinking about it since my late night ramble... and I'm a bit bummed. I've been a member here since close to the website starting. And been using macs since the beginning. And over the years, I have watched regular members come and go. The demographic changes. The jokes change (try joking about waiting still for your G5 powerbook, and see how many people get the joke). And Mac software has come and gone. A lot of the people here now likely have not used a lot of the software they used to have, or just in very different forms than what they used to have. And sadly, the trend overall has been to get a lot worse in my opinion. Numbers and Pages used to have so many more features. They really got watered down to have parity with iOS versions. But the people using all that software, who participate and discuss it, slowly change over time... and the new people don't know what they lost, and were supposed to be getting back. Like Retta283, im starting to see a day when I'm going to move on from Apple. If we have to turn to third-party software to get features we want, why pay the Apple tax? Why does Apple have to obsess so much over very very minute details of the iPhone... but ignore the Mac lines, and their own software.

edit: Wish my abs looked like yours, Super Spartan!

Wow, impressive man. I am a newbie to Mac. This MBP 16 is my first experience with a Mac and I did it after getting sick of Windows 10's garbage and constant updates that brick or bring even more bugs. I am a professional tweaker popular on Notebook Review forums with all my guides and whatnot to tame and tweak Windows 10, I know it inside out but got sick to death of anything from Microsoft so my advise is think twice before considering a move.

Since you're so much into the Apple Ecosystem, may I ask why don't you wanna use the cloud sync feature? is it privacy concern or do you have too much stuff and don't want to pay for extra storage for iCloud space? I find it really convenient and as I mentioned it works perfectly.

Creating albums on the phone itself is a nightmare but on the MBP it was a breeze.

PS: Thanks for the abs comment man. I work out 6 days a week. Cheers

 

[nickdalzell1]

I keep thinking the Mac will ultimately devolve into an iPad pro with a permanent keyboard. Or a Surface style clone.

They seem to be making Mac apps be closer to those on iOS/iPadOS, and then the store, and Catalina has allowed iPadOS apps to run on Mac natively. Is this a conspiracy theory to assume it will just devolve into that?

 

[Partron22]

Software is being built so that it will run under the limited input options of a touch screen. That includes the Mac version in order to maintain compatability. Apple's basically denied us all the advantages of mouse and drop down menuing system, so that the poor slobs running from their iPhone or iPad won't feel left out.
Naturally, this causes the computer version to be crippled relative to its predecessor versions, which made full use of mouse and menu.
This is not an accident. It is Apple's plan for the future.
We've seen it in action time after time. Always with some excuse, and sometimes with promises that are never fulfilled.

 

[3SQ Machine]

The future is in your hand, not on your desktop.

At least that is Apple's vision.

And, taking a step back, it is very impressive to see the increased capability of the software now available on mobile platforms like iPadOS and iOS. So while GarageBand on MAC is gimped--GarageBand on iPAD is freakin impressive, quite frankly--for a mobile platform.

I agree though, the desktop future will be expensive MacPro-esque machines for content creators--the people making all the content we consumer on these mobile devices.

Long live the MAC!

 

[yellow8]

Agreed.

I think Apple is making a mistake by not ensuring enough quality on the Mac. Why?
- Mac users are the most likely users to stay in the Apple eco-system
- Mac is the main platform for developing apps for mobile platform. If macOS becomes ******, developers and potential developers might move away
- Mac is by far the best tool for a lot of business work
- ...

 

[nickdalzell1]

Yeesh! Just when I thought mobile sites being forced on everyone was bad enough!

 

[Partron22]

Sorry, nickdalzel, but That's the way I see it, Been running Macs sins 84' when I traded my Apple 3 in on a $3000 (?!) 128K Macintosh. I've been thru All the trends, and this current dumb down has got me playing with Win 10 and Debian. I'm far from sure Apple will find It's way back from their current debacle.